Dubai to host second edition of ‘World Sports Summit’ from 28-29 December 2026

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai is gearing up to host the second edition of the ‘World Sports Summit’ from 28-29 December 2026 under the theme ‘Uniting the World Through Sport.’

Organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the annual summit will witness the participation of leading figures, decision-makers, specialists and stars from various sports, underscoring its status as the largest gathering of elite athletes and experts specialising in diverse aspects of sports, and a vital platform in unifying efforts for shaping the future of global sport.

In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Sports Council has begun outlining themes that capture the summit’s expansive scope and impact.

This year’s summit promises to be the largest, most comprehensive and most impactful of its kind, bringing together leaders from across the global sports community as Dubai continues its pioneering role in uniting efforts to design the future of global sport and enhance the significant and growing impact of sport worldwide.

All efforts to this end involve extensive collaboration and the establishment of a sustainable system to promote mutual engagement and drive the development of the global sports sector in all its aspects. This objective is also accomplished through launching timely sports initiatives, building international partnerships, and boosting collective action.

Identifying strategic themes 
The summit will also see the crowning of sports stars who have been selected for the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award. Work is ongoing to select strategic themes that keep pace with the rapid developments impacting the field of sport, particularly in the areas of advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and talent attraction and development, to ensure an exceptional event that truly serves to shape the future of global sports.

It is worth noting that the first edition of the summit hosted more than 1,500 sports stars, officials and decision-makers from across the global sporting spectrum, including 200 international stars, and recorded more than 33.6 million live stream views and 850 million digital interactions across social media platforms.

Global platform
Within a very short span, the World Sports Summit has become an exceptional global platform and a valuable addition that reinforces Dubai’s leadership as a global sports destination, fostering dialogue and international cooperation to shape the future of the sports sector.

The first edition of the summit opened with an inspiring speech by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Over its two days, the inaugural summit also saw a number of global sports leaders and stars addressing sessions, including His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports in Bahrain; His Excellency Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports in the UAE; Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain; MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov; Filipino world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao; former Italian football legend Roberto Baggio, French basketball legend and owner of Lyon, Tony Parker; tennis star Novak Djokovic; and Abdullah Al Naboodah, founder and owner of Dubai Basketball Club; along with a handful of players and coaches who won the FIFA World Cup, notably Brazilians Ronaldo and Cafu; Spain’s Carles Puyol and Andres Iniesta; Frenchman Didier Deschamps; and former Italy captain, Fabio Cannavaro.

The sessions were moderated by World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero of Italy along with former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand.

During the summit, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, was honoured as the recipient of the ‘Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award’ along with numerous Arab and international sports stars, including Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur; Tokyo and Paris Olympic gold medalist in badminton Viktor Axelsen; American Olympic fencing champion Ibtihaj Muhammad; football legend Paolo Maldini; and Pakistan’s Olympic champion in javelin, Arshad Nadeem, among others.

Noteworthy agreements
The inaugural summit also witnessed the signing of an agreement between FIFA and the Dubai Sports Council for the launch of an international awards ceremony, with Dubai hosting the event.

Additionally, a strategic partnership agreement was signed between the Dubai Sports Council and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to launch the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship series. Under this five-year agreement, Dubai will host this premier biennial standalone event that crowns the official world champions, thus becoming a permanent opening venue for the series.